The Big Red Bike

By E.J. Tims

Jay Tims, himself a successful small business owner, would tell stories to his children during road trips. He became a masterful weaver of his childhood tales that led him to write this true story of... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0615289118
• ISBN13: 9780615289113
• Release Date: September 2009
• Publisher: Jettster Publishing
• Length: 205 Pages
• Weight: 0.53 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.4" x 8.4"
• Age Range: 9 to 11 years
• Grade Range: Grades 4 to 6

Customer Reviews

A Book For Every Age

I picked this book up from the author during a signing. I had no idea it was meant for children at the time as was looking for a new read. This seemed light and the title happy. I was drawn into it right away as the author shares his adventures in the opening with his boyhood chums. I am still enamored of his adventure in the old barn "collecting" pigeons. Jay describes his bike, "The Monster" and his fortitude in using it on his adventures (I'm not sure I could have - being on foot sounds a lot easier!). It is filled with true boyhood from a time when all adventure was open as well as the consequences - a time when both were met head on, dealt with and learned from. Jay goes on to seek after a seemingly impossible dream on his own as his parents are not well off and cannot offer assistance to the nine year old, though it is obvious their hearts are with him as well as their concerns. Jay takes on an amazing amount of labor. He uses ingenuity to come up with more possibilities of earning money to attain his beloved "Big Red", the bike in Mr. Patterson's window. The reader travels with Jay through his dedications to responsibility, the sacrifices to personal pleasures, the unexpected earnings of honor and respect from peers and adults, true friendships, and the transition of childhood cares to the growth of entering into the early stages of adulthood. This is not a sugar coated lollypop book. There are the childhood bullies and real loss. I cried tears of sadness and joy. But in each is a lesson of girding up, learning and coping that even the mindsets of adults can learn from and integrate. I plan to have as many of my family members read it as possible. This should not be too hard as it is truly a book that hooks one in. I HIGHLY recommend it to you!

A Sweet Story of Self Discovery

I wholeheartedly recommend E. J. Tims The BIg Red Bike. It is a wonderful story of one boys youthful obsession and the path to self discovery. I found myself reliving the warm summers of my own youth and the surprising awareness of coming into my own independence. The adventure and all the accompanying uncertainty and triumph will make you shed a tear or two but ultimately you will be happy to have become acquainted with young Jay and his band of brothers. The story felt so personal but the themes were universal and the book is perfect for a wide range of readers and tastes. The story is set in the late 1950's, but it is reflective of the trials and growing pains everyone experiences, no matter the era. (think Stephen King's Stand by Me) I was drawn in from the first few pages and finished reading it in just a couple hours. I so enjoyed the story that I am going to give copies as gifts to friends during the Holidays.

Loved it!!

I loved every second of this book. What a great message of hard work, determination and fulfilling our dreams. I can't wait to share this book with everyone I know. We need more wholesome books like this in the world. It reminds me of the good old days when life was a little more simple. Read it...you'll love it!

WOW A great Story

Wow! I couldn't put it down. From the first to the last page, it filled my heart, mind, and spirit with unforgettable memories and lessons of my own childhood summers. E.J. Tims masterfully paints word pictures that fill your senses to overflowing. The characters are alive and remind us of real people,when times were simple, lessons were more purposeful and relationships more meaningful. My hope and prayer is that this book is read by every youth in this great country.